Philippe Bouveret

Heart Art

Physics and poetry meet in sculptor/inventor Philippe Bouveret's striking, original work of kinetic art, a fountain with a heart that "beats" almost like a real one. With clever engineering and a visionary art sense, Bouveret has created a simple visual metaphor for life and love.
Inside the clear glass bottle, drops of water flow down at regular intervals from its round glass top, pulling together the two halves of the heart, which are connected by a metal wire. Romantic, moving, a bit uncanny, and even a little playful, the Heart in a Bottle sculpture expresses something we all share, because as long as we’re alive, our hearts always beat for someone.. something... somewhere.
"Il n'y a qu'un bonheur dans la vie, c'est d'aimer et d'être aimé." (There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.) —George Sand
To get the fountain going and the heart “beating,” turn the bottle upside down until the water fills the glass sphere at top. Turn it back upright, and the water will flow down along the wires in droplets for about two hours, which connects the two halves of the heart.

USA Exclusive at UncommonGoods.

Learn more about the maker behind this most uncommon curiosity in an interview with Philippe on our blog.

Philippe Bouveret

France

“I made myself a promise to express nature with simple forms, in a poetic way, and with a rhythmic flow.”

Philippe Bouveret welcomes accidents. It’s how he makes the little discoveries that often turn into the physics-meets-poetry sculptures for which he’s known.

Born just south of Paris, Philippe has always been fascinated by inventions. As a child, he was captivated by electricity and the telephone, and, after building a six-meter boat, thought about becoming a naval architect. When he discovered contemporary art, however, he traded sails and sculls for sculpture. Under his mentor, Belgian sculptor Pol Bury, he began by focusing on creating movement in his pieces, later adding an element of water. The two features have since become constants in his work, along with atmospheric pressure, heat, expansion, and evaporation. Together, they breathe life into his sculptures, which prove that there is indeed beauty in science.

Learn more about this maker of uncommon curiosities in an interview with Philippe on our blog.

HandmadeRecycledExclusive

Made from

rubber,
Glass,
Copper,
Steel,
demineralized water

Measurements

15" H x 3" W x 3" D

Ingredients

Care

If you must replace water, use distilled or demineralized water only. Keep bottle away from direct sunlight as well as areas that experience severe changes in temperature.

Item ID

43272

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Most of our items are in stock and will ship quickly. Orders for in-stock items placed before 5pm ET Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays, will ship:

Economy shipping:

within 8 days, arriving no later than the 9th business day after the order was placed.

I love my Beating Heart in a Bottle. It quietly beats on the corner of my desk and gives me a peaceful respite from my computer.

I love my Beating Heart in a Bottle. It quietly beats on the corner of my desk and gives me a peaceful respite from my computer.

VS

Most Liked Negative Review

Nice idea BUT...

Cute and nice concept BUT it does NOT last more than 2 weeks. I had the original one replaced but then the 2nd had the same issue also. The water would filled the sphere...Read complete review

Cute and nice concept BUT it does NOT last more than 2 weeks. I had the original one replaced but then the 2nd had the same issue also. The water would filled the sphere and then immediately all the water gush back down to the bottle, rendering the beating heart useless. Trying to either get a refund or credit. It was my first time buying from Uncommon Goods and I'm VERY disappointed :(

I was so excited to get this in the mail. My fiance is 6 hours away in school and I wanted to give this as a gift to him. When I opened the box it looked like water had been leaking out. In the bottom of the bottle was the metal piece that controls the dripping and the heart rod was also floating in the bottom. I put the pieces back together only to see that the dripping and heart wont work. I am very upset about this. I would like to get a replacement. If I return this one and get another defective one like this, I will return and not purchase again.

Merchant response:We're so sorry your item arrived in such poor condition, especially when it was intended to be such a meaningful gift! We have been hard at work with the artist as well as our warehouse team to get the packaging just right for shipping. We believe we have finally perfected it and hope your replacement Beating Heart in a Bottle Sculpture arrived ready to maintain a steady heartbeat even when your partner is still making yours skip.

Packed well but when opened, the drip feature of the water didn't work.Pieces in the bottom of the bottle.No apparent way to reassemble.Returning for credit.Rather than being the romantic moment, it became a farce and worthless to me/us.

Bottom LineNo, I would not recommend this to a friend

Merchant response:We're so sorry the Beating Heart in a Bottle did not meet expectations! We appreciate your feedback and will be looking into what went wrong with the item you received.

Cute and nice concept BUT it does NOT last more than 2 weeks. I had the original one replaced but then the 2nd had the same issue also. The water would filled the sphere and then immediately all the water gush back down to the bottle, rendering the beating heart useless. Trying to either get a refund or credit. It was my first time buying from Uncommon Goods and I'm VERY disappointed :(

Bottom LineNo, I would not recommend this to a friend

Merchant response:We are sorry to hear that we couldn't mend your broken heart in the bottle sculpture! We see that you have already received a refund and hope that you fall in love with some of our other products next time.

We have been tirelessly working with the artist and our warehouse team improving the packaging of this item, making sure it's protected enough to survive the strongest skips. We believe we have finally perfected it and are confident our current Beating Heart in a Bottle Sculptures will arrive ready to maintain their beat for a long time to come.

Very cute and sweet idea, though its lack of functionality makes it a gift that no one should purchase.After just 5 time of watching the heart beat, the water stays in the top part of the bottle and no longer flows to allow the hearts to beat. We didnt shake the bottle or change the water.

Service and delivery comments:

Delivery was perfect.

Bottom LineNo, I would not recommend this to a friend

Merchant response:We have reviewed your order and see our customer service team has already assisted you with a no cost replacement.

We spent a lot of time with the artist and our warehouse team improving the packaging of this item, ensuring there is no space for it to move during transit and avoiding any future issues like this. We believe we have finally perfected it and are confident our current Beating Heart in a Bottle Sculptures will arrive ready to beat strong and steady for the one you love.

I love the item, very beautiful. My wife loved it too. But very fragile. Ordered twice, both times in shipping the water leaked out.

Service and delivery comments:

Before it is shipped, the warehouse must make sure that the stopper is secure. Or they must change the way it is packaged and shipped. On the upside, uncommon goods customer service was exceptional in handling the returns and shipping a new one. Very positive experience.

Bottom LineYes, I would recommend this to a friend

Merchant response:We're so sorry this item did not arrive in perfect condition. We appreciate your feedback and are looking into better ways to package this so future purchasers are not disappointed.

We have been working diligently with the artist as well as our warehouse team to improve the packaging for this item to avoid these kinds of issues. We believe we have finally perfected it and are confident our current stock of Beating Heart in a Bottle Sculptures will arrive ready to provide a constant reminder to your recipient that your heart beats for them.

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